Ridesharing as a Complement to Transit

Abstract: Transit and carpooling/vanpooling (ridesharing) can be powerful allies – especially if leveraged together creatively. By embracing ridesharing, transit agencies have been seen to expand their market base, as well as enhance transit operations. Ridesharing can supplement transit services in the high-cost peak period, can serve marginal routes that are costly for transit, and can increase the justification for HOV designations that serve transit as well. If ridesharing and transit alternatives are packaged together, they can attract an even larger market share, displacing the single occupant auto in a growing number of metropolitan areas. At the same time some transit agencies seem reluctant to get into ridesharing.